To a Mouse
by 003-san
Summary: A new tenant and a new case appears. Is there a link between the two?
1. Chapter 1- Enter the Bearded-Lady

Chapter 1: Enter the Bearded-Lady

19:34PM

A young man stood at the corner of Hyde Park with his back against a tree. He spoke tonelessly on the phone with his other hand in his pocket. "It's done. Yeah, I know him very well. He comes to the restaurant I work at."

"You want me to keep an eye on him? Literally or figuratively?"

"Sure I'll give you a discount but just this time." Sighing, he hung up the phone and crushed it beneath his foot and took off his gloves. He checked the time and clicked his tongue at how much time he had wasted at the park. His shift was supposed to start half an hour ago. Striding away hastily into a dark alleyway, his stained sleeves unnoticed.

Deep in the park, a large body lay strewn across with a faraway look on its face.

10:45AM

It was a sunny morning; people were gravitating towards the green island surrounded by concrete. A scream tore through the air. Now, the park was full.

The police were everywhere looking for any abnormalities and speaking to anyone who was in the park to see if they had seen anything, and nobody did. Nobody had noticed anything at all until the disfigured body was found today by two horrified joggers who had ventured deep into the area that was dense with trees. At the crime scene, it was a bloody mess with intestines ripped and cut out of the corpse's stomach thrown around carelessly but neat writing engraved on the victim's forehead. The head was chopped of its body and laid flat on the grass facing its body like it was witnessing the brutal torture done to its body. It was as if the victim's stomach had exploded. Why would 'PAID' be written on the victim's forehead?

"Just call him already." Grudgingly, a detective whispered to his colleagues.


	2. Chapter 2- Enter the Clown

Chapter 2: Enter the Clown

(Two days before the murder)

07:14

It was a grey morning with clouds descending. The wind was violent and generous with its piercing cold. A girl walked along the road near Baker Street with plain navy jeans and a white t-shirt. She had a youthful glow to her with her skin lightly tanned and her big almond eyes that seems to sparkle with excitement. Strangely, she carried no purse or any sort of baggage but held a phone tightly in her hand. The black haired girl kept looking around and had a dazed off look in her eyes as she stared at the buildings. Her slow stroll quicken as she felt her phone vibrate and her converse shoes almost drowned as she stepped on an unfortunately two days old puddle on the street. Standing in front of an infamous flat, she paused for a minute and looked at her vibrating phone. "He sure likes me more when I'm gone..." Her whisper was soft but had an annoyed tone and with quick fingers blocked the phone number. She sighed in relief. "That will stop him for an hour..." She slipped her phone into her pocket and skipped up a step to knock on the imposing black door. There was silence for 2 minutes until she heard loud footsteps along the hallway and the clinking sound of the keys.

Mrs Hudson face lit up as she saw who it was and her eyes became glossy."Oh! You're here, Alec. Come in, dear, it must be cold, why aren't you wearing a coat in this weather?" Mrs Hudson ushered the visitor in and rubbed her arms as a chilling wind sneaked its way into the house.

"Oh... You know me! I have a really bad luck with the weather. Yesterday, I wore a massive jumper 'cus I thought it was going to be chilly! But it was so sunny!" Alec exclaimed.

Mrs Hudson giggled at the girl's silliness. "Well, let's hope today will get warmer." Leading the tall and eager girl, she was reminded of the time where a little girl would come to stay over to make sure she wasn't lonely while her husband was off on his long 'business trips'.

"It was nine years ago that I last stayed over, right?" She stared at the pictures on the corridor with a thoughtful look and traced the wallpaper. "You've even changed the wallpaper! Such a shame… I really liked the other one" The happy tone in her voice that was always there made Mrs Hudson smiled at how she hasn't changed at all.

"For me, it was like yesterday you were still a little girl running around this corridor…" Mrs Hudson sighed. "You were always making me chase after you. Such a little troublemaker… Remember when you ran away when you didn't want to take a bath?" She sighed again.

"I kept telling you I didn't need a bath!" The girl whined.

"You were covered in dust and mud! I didn't even know where you went to get that dirty!"

"A-Around London!"

"In the sewage?" Mrs Hudson looked at Alec suspiciously.

"Now, you're just being mean!" She cried but soon laughed at the memory of poor Mrs Hudson chasing after her. The woman smiled and shook her head.

"Oh my! We've just been standing here and talking for eight minutes!" Mrs Hudson said as she noticed the time on the clock placed on the corridor and started to lead Alec to the basement door. "You'll have to excuse the dust, dear. I haven't opened the basement for a very long time." She unlocked the door.

The basement, the room under 221B, was a bare room. The walls were untainted with colours except for grey and blemishes of old age decorated the walls. The paint was peeling of the wall like an open wound ripped open and the holes like punctures from a gunshot. Growing at the top corner of a wall, dots of dark mould decayed the grey paint. The floor had carpets but was lightly dusted that it looked like dandelion seeds had been blown in through the window and a strange brown stain in the corner. Alec gasped.

Mrs Hudson sighed in disappointment. "I guess it's a n-"

"No! It's perfect, Mrs Hudson!" Alec interrupted with a beaming smile and stared at the room. The old woman couldn't help but smile back out of relief.

"It is £135 per month and you have a neighbour just upstairs. He's called Sherlock Holmes and he is a bit… Eccentric and curious but he means well." Mrs Hudson carefully phrased.

"Sherlock Holmes? That's an old style name… As long as he doesn't bother me, I don't think there is going to be a problem. Could I move in today? My friends are already on their way with my stuff!"

"Oh of course! What time will they arrive?"

"At half past 7 so…" The girl paused and looked at her watch. "About now" She announced and almost instantly a loud beep could be heard outside. It was then Mrs Hudson really looked at Alec. The short haired girl who visited her has now grown her black hair and her height was no longer shorter than her but taller. Her skin was still lightly tan and her eyes a matching shade of black to her hair. Alec's almond eyes stared back at her with curiosity.

"You've truly grown into a pretty woman, Alec." Mrs Hudson said softly and her eyes glistened. Alec looked at her worried. "I better go make some tea for you friends…" Mrs Hudson rushed away trying to hide the tears.

Big, burly men in suits stood at the door. The bored consultant peered down at the scene. The men had identical tattoos on their knuckles that looked like: 'Vici' in capital letters. "I conquered?" He pondered out loud. "Possibly the mafia… Only henchmen… Came under strict order to be on time at exactly half past one… Someone is moving into 221C... Likely to be dangerous." He whispered to himself and strode out of the room to 'greet' his neighbour.

"Oh, Sherlock!" Mrs Hudson exclaimed surprised he was actually out of his room so early. "Excuse the big men they're here to bring in Alec's belongings." She said while trying to dodge a book case and men carrying boxes that were overflowing with books.

"Alec?" He asked.

"You're new neighbour! Alec is a bit peculiar but it's nothing for you to be too curious about… Please, do get along with each other. Alec is with the right crowd and I can assure you!"

"Strange… These men don't exactly look like the right crowd. I presume he is one of your relative and from your defensiveness that he is you're nephew from your uptight of a barrister who is your sister." He said while observing a box with a book peeking out. "Debts" He muttered squinting at the small writing until the man carrying the box pushed pass him with an irritated glare.

"Alec is a-" the old woman tried to correct him but her cut her off.

"Where is this… 'Alec'?" His eyes shifting from each of the men who rushed in with boxes of more books. He took notice of how they only brought in books and not at least a bed frame or even a mattress.

"Alec is in the van talking to one of the men… I think." She said very unsure since the girl had just vanished as soon as she had come back with the tea.

His phone rang before he could ask further almost too conveniently. "Yes? Hello, Molly. You have a new body? Good… See you later." Sherlock hung up abruptly and Mrs Hudson swore she could hear that the female voice on the phone was cut off.

"Sherlo-" Mrs Hudson started.

"I'll be off now. Goodbye, Mrs Hudson." He swiftly left, dodging the men before she could finish her sentence and she sighed in exasperation.

At St Barts hospital, Sherlock unzips the body bag and checked the corpse. "How fresh?"

"Just in. Sixty-seven, natural causes. He used to work here. I knew him. He was nice." Molly said the last part softly and slightly sad.

"Fine. We'll start with the crop." He stated and ignored the grimace on Molly's face.


	3. Chapter 3- Pink Lady

Chapter 3: Pink Lady

19:13PM

A man sat in his chair with sweat pouring down his face and his eyes overflowing with tears. A nail hammered slowly into his hand. Each time the blunt edge digs deeper into the armrest he lets out a scream. A loud and painful scream. Surrounding him were bloody teeth, the lay they scattered around like litter and missing from his gums. He squeaked when a burning cigarette is snuffed out and cruelly twisted into his neck; the cigarette hissed like a snake against his skin as it takes a fiery bite. He panted as it sizzles and his vision starts to blur. Forcefully, a small gloved hand grasp the wet hair on the back of his head in a tight and excruciating grip. The pull commanding him to lift his face closer to her and their eyes met. Crying, he tries to look away from her black eyes that seemed to stab fear into his heart. She uses her other hand to hold his cheeks puffing them with her nails almost piercing through the gloves. She smiled at him loving the horrified expression on his face, the tears and the toothless mouth. He sobbed noisily.

"Where is my money?" She said her voice deceptively calm.

"Idonhabidyed!" He whispered with his bleeding gums. The tugging of his hair became loose.

"Why don't you have it?" She was twirling with his short locks leaning closer to his face. He trembled.

"I-I`ll hab id necks weeks... Pleasss don-" She lets go of his hair and his face and stepped back. He sighed though his nose but it was too soon as the man with the hammer gave him a frightening grin from behind her hitting the hammer into his palm playfully. A blood-curdling scream through the air.

Her feet was light as she walked out of one of her work place and walked with the unassuming crowd on the streets. Hands clean and her lips in an easy going smile, she strolled along with a hand in her coat pocket grasping her favourite gloves but her smile slipped off as she heard the pulsation in her purse. "I'll hab id necks weekss!" She mocked as she searched through her bag for a vibrating phone.

"Alec! Where are you? Do you know what time it is?! I said dinner is at six not quarter to seven!" Mrs Hudson shouted through the phone. Alec panicked and fumbled to put the speaker off as the bystanders looked at her oddly.

"I got caught up with work! Yes, I swear! I'm not lying!" She whispered careful to not catch anyone's attention as she waved for a cab.

"What!? The police are in the building? I think you _should_ hide your ' _herbal medicine_ '..." She waved her arm wildly as a cab appeared and quickly got in. "I'll be there in a minute. I just got into a cab-"

"Ahem!" The cab driver coughed loudly to get her attention.

"Oh! 221 Baker Street, please." She said finally looking up at the irritated driver. Her thumb accidentally pushing the speakers on as she tried to put on her seat belt.

"Oh dear... Sherlock just got into a taxi to go somewhere. Now, John and I are alone with the police..." Mrs Hudson stressed voice rang throughout the car.

The driver glared at her and she quickly muttered a "Sorry" and turned the speakers off again. "Don't worry! I'll be there in a about 5 minutes! See you later, ok?" She hung up quickly because she got too tired to talk to her auntie's nervous rambling about her mariju- ' _herbal medicine_ '. She tapped her lap with her fingers in boredom an looked at the people walking on the pavement before turning to the driver. "So... Busy day today?" He glanced at the rear view mirror exasperated only to look at her but he was met with big, hopeful eyes. He sighed.

"Yes... Very busy today." he drawled out wishing the traffic lights would turn green soon. Perhaps, God had heard his pray as he watched the green light lit up and he took a quick turn about to arrive at her destination.

"Hey... Do you want to make £200 tonight?" He parked the car quickly just 3 metres away from 221 Baker Street and looked back at her trying to figure out what she had meant but she was gazing outside the window at a short blonde haired man with grey strands that had ran out of the 221 Baker Street, who was waving his arms wildly for a cab.

"Lady... I ain't no prostitute. Though... You're pretty looking but I got pride." He swore that her smile had widen at what he said.

"Sorry, that's not what I meant I wanted you to pick him," she tapped on the window glass at the man outside of 221 Baker Street. "Up." She promptly stated.

"You should have just said so... Ya got me a bit worried then." He said trying to lighten up the mood as he didn't want to make his rich customer angry, but he was ignored as she quickly rolled down the window and stuck her head out.

"HEY! YOU! DO YOU NEED A RIDE?" She screamed and the greying blonde almost jumped out of surprise at the booming voice but he quickly decided to take up the offer and ran quickly to the car and hopped into the front seat

"Ermm... Thank you." The short haired man said awkwardly.

"No need to thank me. Thank her," he jabbed his thumb back at the girl who gave the man a tiny wave when he glanced back at her quickly. "Urm..." He gulped as if suddenly forgetting what he wanted. "I need you to go to" he glanced down at the small beeping laptop. " Just go forward! Please!" He urged the driver who ignited the engine and swiftly drove off. "Urm... Take the third right! Then just forward. Yes! Then take the second left!"

Alec leaned over and peeked at the small laptop observing where the destination was but the laptop was slowly loading so the current position of where the destination was paused before suddenly moving.

"Hey, taxi. Drive to Roland-Kerr Further Education College and take the first left so we're there quicker." The girl ordered the driver and John turned his head to look at her to protest. "Don't worry I know this area very well. You're friend is probably there since the place is surrounded by dormitories and only a little gas station. Unless your friend has a car which I doubt since he lives at 221 Baker Street where there is barely any space to park a car nor is there car park nearby."

"I don't know about that just let me check..." He looked at the screen which finally stopped at the destination: 'Roland-Kerr College' "Thank you! I'm -"

"John Watson, right?" His eyes widen at her guess.

"How did you-" "And you're following Sherlock Holmes who is your flatmate?" She grinned at his shocked expression.

"We're almost there!" The driver interjected into the conversation but was ignored.

"Don't be shocked! I'm only playing around! I'm Alec Hudson. I live in 221C Baker Street which is down stairs. Seriously, there's no need to look surprise as aunty always talk about you two lovebirds!"

"W-We're not together!" He tried to wave his hands in protest.

"We're here!" She announced completely ignoring his denial.

"Thank you!" He hurriedly said and rushed out of the car.

"Bye! Good luck with your boyfriend!" She exclaimed after him making the people on the streets look at him and John felt like he has never ran as fast as he did today. Alec watched as the embarrassed man ran off into the building until pouting. "Should I follow him? It looks dangerous... How fun..." She stared longingly at the College. Until her phone rang, interrupting her pondering.

"Hello, auntie... I had to drop off someone. No! I'm not lying! Ok. I'll be there in a minute. Yes, this time I am actually coming back home. Buh-bye!" She looked at the driver who was waiting expectantly. "Well, let's head back to 221 Baker Street!" She chirped.

"Aye aye capt'n!" He saluted her mockingly and drove back.


	4. Chapter 4- On the Edge

08:55

"You know... Sherlock has been getting along with John rather well! It's a surprise that he finally found someone but it's absolutely lovely to see him so in love!" Mrs Hudson gushed and took a large bite of her bourbon chocolate biscuits.

"I've met John once... He was very funny and very enthusiastic with tagging along Sherlock to work! How caring of him!" The girl slightly swirled her teacup and stared down at the brown liquid that was shifting.

"When was this?" Her biscuit crumbled as she took a bite and the pieces sprinkled onto her new green top.

"It was two days ago... The poor man was in such a hurry!" Alec fetched her napkin on the table and quickly handed it to her aunt, who thanked her repeatedly. She giggled as the crumbs seems to multiply as Mrs Hudson tried to grasp them between the napkin.

"You know... I've been hearing about this Sherlock a lot and I've never seen him around," she sipped her tea and hid a grimace at the taste. She has always been more of a coffee fan. "So is he a really busy detective? Those terrible suicides lately..." She began with a worried tone but paused.

"Oh! Those were horrendous! The police came here thinking it was Sherlock who did it but he would never... Well, I would say he wouldn't without a good reason." Mrs Hudson sighed.

"I would say that John is a good distraction from his work... To relieve stress." Alec's eyes twinkled mischievously and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.  
Mrs Hudson smacked her niece's shoulder playfully and laughed.

"Mrs Hudson? Are you in," a hasty knock followed. Mrs Hudson glanced at the door and hurried off of the chair. "Do you have any tea left to spare? We ran out upstairs and Sherlock wants his 'alone time'..." John rolled his eyes at the term he used and waited.

"Yes, John!" She answered and fumbled with her keys a bit before opening the door. "Do come in! My niece is visiting me. You two have met, right?"  
John stared over the woman's shoulder at Alec and his eyes widen. Alec stared back and gave him a wink. John's face went red and he quickly looked away. "Yes... We've met."

Alec set her tea down to the table and got up from the chair and walked towards John. He gulped as her expression became serious. How did this odd woman seem to peek his interest and make the hair on the back of his head stand up? He pondered thoughtfully and on the edge as the tall, black haired girl stepped closer.  
"It's nice to meet you," she stuck her hand out and he grasp her hand in his clammy one. "I'm sorry about the whole taxi meeting!" She shook his hand firmly.

"Oh... Ermm... It was fine but I've been meaning to ask you. How did yo-"  
"I'm quite familiar around here since I used to visit often as a child and teenager so shortcuts are really useful when I..." She cut in trying to explain and paused then leaned in. "When I sneaked out to party... You understand right? Teenagers!" She whispered and glanced at Mrs Hudson who was getting her stool to get to her herbs cabinet.

John nodded but didn't take the story seriously as the meeting seemed too coincidental.

"Aunty! You left them in the top left drawer that's next to the sink..."  
The girl abruptly let go of the awkwardly long handshake and went to the said drawers.

John took notice of her height and was surprised by the height difference between Mrs Hudson and her niece. Alec was tall, so tall that she would come up to Sherlock's eyes and missed Mrs Hudson's side of the height genes.

"Oh! Why didn't you say so? I got out my stool and everything," the woman took a wobbly step off of the stool, "even my little Alec," she started and John chuckled at the use of 'little' as Alec's description, "is up to mischief..." Mrs Hudson finished and Alec giggled.

"I get it from dad! Mum's all boring!"

"You're mum is going to be so angry when I tell her you said that!"

The black haired girl eyes widen. "No! Please! I didn't mean it! Just please don't tell her I said that..."

"You shouldn't be idolising that man... He's in an early grave because of how much 'mischief' he was into!" As her aunt scolded her, Alec's expression turned into a childish pout and John chuckled under his breath at the situation but made a note of the information about Alec.

"I should be going..." John, who was now holding a box of tea, tried to interject Mrs Hudson's speech and surprisingly the old woman stopped and Alec looked at him and mouthed the word "Thank you" in gratitude for saving her ears.

"Do you have any milk? I swear that I checked you're fridge yesterday and there was only eyes and other body parts in there..." Mrs Hudson eyes became worried and she rushed to her fridge and pulled out a plastic milk jug. "Here," she handed the large plastic jug to Alec, "Alec can take this up with you to have an excuse to introduce herself to Sherlock."

John was about to protest but he was curious about how the two would interact. One too cheerful and the other too cynical. It was like yin and yang. They seemed to be opposites but he didn't really know Alec well only her boisterous side.

"I'm sure that he's too busy with cases..." Her eyes glanced at John and she held the large jug towards him.

"No... He just needed some space because he was doing an experiment. You can come along to meet him!" He gently pushed the jug back and gestured towards the door with the tea box. "Shall we go meet him and have some tea?"

Her liveliness seemed to die down but she nodded. "I'll see you in a minute, aunty."

 **To be continued.**


	5. Chapter 5- Pierrot, The Sad Clown

It was utterly silent. He took a glance at her face which seemed to be in a daze with her hands hugging the plastic milk jug to her chest like a teddy bear. John wanted to say something to make it less awkward but he shook his head slightly and grabbed the jug handle from her hands, gently tugging.

Eyes widening, Alec let go of the jug and muttered a "thank you" and put her hands at her sides. John smiled at her change of demeanour .  
"You don't have to be so nervous... Sherlock... He isn't a bad guy just not good with social etiquettes."

Smiling, she gave him a giggle. He laughed at the infectious sound and smiled at her.  
"I'm not really nervous but I was just worried about the time... I only have a few minutes till work." Her eyebrows furrowed.  
"What do you do for a living?" He was genuinely interested since she didn't seem like the type to work at odd hours with an uptight mother, who gave an impression of being demanding as a barrister.

Her lips stretched into a bigger smile and John noticed she had a a dimple near the left side of her lips.  
"I work as a part time banker but I mainly do paperwork at home though I do go in now and then as a replacement if someone is ill."

"Does that not make it hard to get steady income?"

Alec looked at the ground and her shoulders were tensed. He should have kept his mouth shut he thought.

"My full time job actually gives me a lot of free time. I own a law firm in Manchester... My mum is kind of pushy when it comes to working. She felt banking over here would help me with making connections for opening up another law firm." The girl sighed and her energy drained as she spoke.  
"John, you're an ex-army doctor, right? That must have been exciting!" She skipped but briefly looked back and John noticed how her mood swiftly changed again.  
"It was but I'm back here now," he tried to smile but he couldn't, "which isn't bad but not very used to this," he lifted up the box of tea and the jug in his hands. Alec stopped a feet away  
from the door. She turned fully to him.

She smiled again showing her dimple. "I'm glad that you're back," her tone so sincere that it could have made him think she knew him well if they had not met just this week.  
"London needs more Dr Watsons!" It was back to joking again like her cheeriness at Mrs Hudson's and the corner of his mouth lifted.  
"They could never have enough Dr Watsons!" He joked back.

"John! Did you get my chalk?" John's room-mate asked. John sighed through his nose.  
"I was getting tea!" He shouted at the door. "You didn't ask me for any chalk!"  
"I did." The deep voice was blank.  
"When, Sherlock? When?" His face was pink now as he glanced at the woman next to him who was giving him an amused smirk.  
"4 minutes ago."  
"I was downstairs! There was still some on the kitchen table top before I left!"  
"It's still there. I need you to pass them to me. Do come in soon."  
John was going to blow up. He felt frustrated, exasperated and a tad angry at Sherlock. Surely, he knew they had a guest that was witnessing this ridiculous argument.  
"You have a woman with you by the loudness of the shoes she walks in." There it was! John thought to himself so he did know but chose to ignore it. Alec twisted the door knob and let him in first and he nodded thankful.

Sherlock was sat on his armchair with his fingertips touching and one nicotine patch on his arm. Alec raised an eyebrow at the patch and John shrugged and walked to the kitchen. "Would you like some tea, Alec?" John set the box of tea and milk on the side and she observed how he avoided opening the fridge.

"Yes, please! One sugar." She looked at the consulting detective who stared back at her with eyebrows twisted and eyes squinting.

"You're a... _Woman_." His voice amazed and his eyes intense, squinting.

"What?" Alec was surprised that the curly haired man had just pointed out. Sherlock exhaled deeply and leaned his head against the chair. Oddly, she dismissed his shock instantly and walked over to the kitchen to get her cup of tea.

The back of the soles of her shoes was covered in green grass and light coloured soil. Her body in shape as he observed how toned her legs and arms were. He glanced at the clock. It was 9:15 so enough time to jog. Her fists were slightly bruised under her long sleeves and her 'Debts' book came into his mind. His brain was rattling through even more as he noticed how her pupils constricted slightly at John's offer of biscuits and he saw it. The gold colour of her left eye under her brown contact lens.

"Sherlock, would you like some tea as well?" John tried to distract his thoughts and he threw him a glare but muttered "yes".

"What do you do? Something boring like being a loan shark?" Alec's eyes lit up as she looked at him and John was frozen as he stared at Alec who choked on her tea.

Sherlock snorted at her reaction. "I do banking!" She tried to protest the notion of her hidden work.

"Of course, _you_ do but your mafia henchmen suggests something very different, Alec."

"... It's a family business." She gulped her tea and dropped it onto the drink mat with a clank. Standing, she walked to the door with unsteady steps but stopped and turn around.

"It was nice meeting you, John." John gave her a hesitant wave but she hd already turned around and shut the door with a bang.

"She was... Nice."


End file.
